Korean Government Interference in Japanese Domestic Affairs Is Untenable
On June 29, 2009, the Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact posted questions
submitted to Lee Myung-bak, president of the Republic of Korea and Kwon Chul-hyun,
ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Japan, by the Japanese Society for History Textbook
Reform and translated into English on its website(http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_321_S1.pdf). Additionally, the Society for theDissemination of Historical Fact distributed its newsletter (Attachment 1) to representativesof the news media, scholars and politicians throughout the world. Those questions concern
gratuitous interference, by political means, with respect to historical fact — interference that
we cannot overlook, precisely because our objective is the unbiased dissemination ofhistorical fact.
Subsequently, the Society for History Textbook Reform sent a written request (Attachment 2)
to Chung Jin, president of the Korean Residents Union in Japan.
The Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform set a deadline of June 30, 2009 for
responses from Messrs. Lee and Kwon; and July 10, 2009 for a response from theheadquarters of the Korean Residents Union in Japan.
As of today, July 14, 2009, the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform has notreceived a response from any of the aforementioned parties. We assume that those to whom
the Society posed its questions failed to respond because they are at a loss to provide answers.
In other words, they have not extended the courtesy of a response because they are unable todemonstrate proof that their arguments are valid or reasonable.
Specifically, we interpret the silence on the part of President Lee and Ambassador Kwon as
their acknowledgment of the following statements:
1. The government of the Republic of Korea denounced a textbook that cleared the Japanese
government’s screening process — a textbook that they obtained in a dishonest manner,or judged without ever having examined its contents.
2. The government of the Republic of Korea has failed to find any accounts in A New
History Textbook: Revised Edition, published by Jiyusha, that are based on a “misguided
historical perception - one that, even today, both rationalizes and glorifies past errors.”
3.

The government of the Republic of Korea deems that there are no accounts in A New
History Textbook: Revised Edition, published by Jiyusha, that would justify placing it in
the same category as “some distorted history textbooks.”

4.

The government of the Republic of Korea is receptive to the opinion expressed by theJapanese Society for History Textbook Reform, i.e., that interference in Japan’s
domestic affairs must cease, and will refrain from such interference in the future.

Furthermore, we interpret the silence on the part of Chung Jin, president of the Korean
Residents Union in Japan, as his acknowledgement of the following statement.

Demands issued by organizations subordinate to the Korean Residents Union in Japan
to 15 cities, 10 towns and two villages in Okayama Prefecture; and to the school boardof Suginami Ward, Tokyo Prefecture, to the effect that A New History Textbook:
Revised Edition, produced by the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform andpublished by Jiyusha, should not be used, as it will “jeopardize the deepening ofrelations between Japan and the Republic of Korea,” were inappropriate. In the future,
the Korean Residents Union in Japan will refrain from interfering in internal Japanese
affairs.
The Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact strongly disapproves of those who ignore or
fail to respond to questions whose answers might cast the respondent in a bad light, and we areconvinced that the conventional wisdom of the world agrees with us. We intend to include thisdocument in our next newsletter, which we will transmit to representatives of the news media,
scholars and politicians throughout the world.
Kase Hideaki
Chairman

<Attachment 1>

SDHF Newsletter No. 14: Questions to the President of Korea from a Japanese Citizen’s Group
Dear XXXX,
In response to the Korean “Spokesman’s Statement” which protests the Japanese governmentauthorization of a middle school history textbook, the Japanese Society for History Textbook
Reform submitted questions to President of Korea on June 22nd, 2009, as below;
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_3/21_S1.pdf
Since we are concerned with historical truth and accuracy, we cannot tolerate the Korean
government’s intrusive demand for revision of Japanese textbook contents. It is quite reasonable
that the Society asks, in their questions to the Korean government, to point out specificallywhich portions of the textbook are “misguided” or “distorted”.
We eagerly await the Korean President’s response, requested to appear no later than June 30,2009.
Any questions are welcome.
Sincerely,
MOTEKI Hiromichi
Deputy Chairman and Secretary General
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact
Tel 03-3519-4366
Fax 03-3519-4367
Email moteki@sdh-fact.com
URL http://www.sdh-fact.com
Note: Japanese names are rendered surname first in accordance with customs in Japan<Attachment 2>

July 3, 2009
TO:

Chung Jin, President
Korean Residents Union in JapanFROM:

Fujioka Nobukatsu, Chairman
Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform

SUBJECT:A New History Textbook: Revised Edition

We would like to express our appreciation for your efforts toward strengthening the friendshipbetween Japan and the Republic of Korea.
According to media coverage of Mindan Shimbun, the newspaper issued by the Korean
Residents Union in Japan, organizations subordinate to yours have issued demands to 15 cities,
10 towns and two villages in Okayama Prefecture; and to the school board of Suginami Ward,
Tokyo Prefecture, to the effect that A New History Textbook: Revised Edition, produced by theJapanese Society for History Textbook Reform and published by Jiyusha, should not be used, as
it will jeopardize the deepening of relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. However,in no instance does the textbook in question distort history. In fact, to cite only one example, it
concedes, unreservedly, that the Korean people strenuously resisted their loss of independence asa result of Japan’s annexation of Korea (pp. 172-173).
Currently, school boards all over Japan are involved in the decision-making process regarding
the textbooks to be adopted for use in the middle schools. Misguided activities, such as those inwhich your organization is engaging, clearly constitute interference in domestic Japanese affairs,
overt hostility toward Jiyusha and the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, andsabotage, all of which go against the desire to promote “neighborly relations,” as professed by
the Korean Residents Union in Japan.
The Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform strongly protests this malicious interferencein Japanese internal affairs, and demands that it cease immediately. Kindly advise us of yourintentions in writing, using the enclosed return envelope, no later than July 10.
In the event that the activities described above do not cease, the Japanese Society for History
Textbook Reform will take appropriate action, without fail.
The textbook in question cannot at present be obtained, since the decision-making process has
not been completed. However, its contents appear in A History Textbook for the Japanese in
their entirety, and thus can be easily consulted.